FINLAND: Old Man Pehr

Every year on the President's birthday thousands of Finns march merrily
past his yellow Palace in Helsingfors roaring, "Maamme! Maamme! Our
Land! Our Land!" To buy the President a "birthday present" money was
raised this year by nation-wide subscriptionon the distinct
understanding that the President will donate his present to help fight
tuberculosis (Finns being especially susceptible to this disease). Last
week came the 70th birthday of a National Hero elected last February:
President Pehr Evind Svinhufvud whom 4,000,000 Finns call Ukko Pekka
("Old Man Pehr''). Outside the little yellow Palace with...